Leland Breakwall

Leland, MI breakwall on Lake Michigan.

Glen Haven beach

This is from Glen Haven beach this morning.

Salmon fishing

My buddy and co-worker Art (netting the salmon) invited me along on his friend's boat to go salmon fishing the other day in Lake Michigan. Even though I lost two fish it was a blast. I'd never gone before and the whole experience was great. Cool people, some beer and pizza on a boat in Lake Michigan, and some good tunes on the radio. Thanks Art.

Cherry-Roubaix

Bicyclists raced past me as I shot this through a red fence which paralleled the racers on their way from the starting line out into Leelanau County for the Cherry-Roubaix race.

Roadside Stand

Tough Trucks

The Northwestern Michigan Fair tough truck competition is a really great event. This is from this year's event which I photographed tonight.

J. Seward Johnson, Jr.

This piece by J. Seward Johnson, Jr. is titled "My Dog Has Fleas" and it's one of, I believe, 11 sculptures total by Johnson that are being displayed in Cadillac until the end of August. They're fun to look at so if you get a chance to see them you should.

State Theatre Alpena

This is a theatre in downtown Alpena. I haven't walked the streets, I don't think ever, in that city but I was up to visit family in Hubbard Lake recently and took advantage of an hour I had to kill prior to leaving.

Barney's

This place has been on my blog before. It's the old Barney's general store which was an old general/candy store located down the dirt road from the farm that my mom grew up on. I remember going in there once, maybe twice, when I was pretty small and I wish I had a camera with me at that time. I remember how it looked inside and I remember Barney. My aunts and uncles would go there as would my cousins who also live nearby. I was recently there again and I love this old place. It has aesthetic but more importantly to me, sentimental value. I'm sure I'll take many more photos of this place as long as it's still standing. One of the beautiful aspects of life is that the possibility of everyone having their "Barney's general store" is out there. A place that has a special feeling because of history, family ties or maybe it's for no reason at all. It could be somewhere you've been many times or somewhere you've just arrived to or maybe even somewhere you'd like to go. It could be one place or many places. It's just nice to have that place.

Barred Owl

One of the best parts about living where I do is the sound of owls every once in a while. It was shortly after my buddy arrived that he heard this barred owl, in close proximity, up in the tree behind the place. I landed this shot while he spotted the owl with his light.

Drug store film

An old Kodak film-box display over the cash register at a drug store in Frankfort.

Parade

Here's a street scene from a parade in nearby Kalkaska, MI.

Lost Rooster

I hope they find it.

Grandma and Grandpa

Here are my beloved grandma and grandpa King. Yesterday my dad and I took them around to see the small towns where they grew up. It was hot but we were able to get out and about every so often. This photo is from the school where they met when they were in 10th grade, the Dickson Rural Agricultural Consolidated High School. "Well we've walked through these doors a few times, eh dear?" my grandpa said to my grandma. They're holding hands as he helps her off the step of the school here. She stood on the step of course so they could be "almost the same height." I'd like to think the moment in the photo is reminiscent of how they would have walked away from the school when they attended there.

Flying Wallenda

Carla Wallenda, of the Flying Wallendas, is 76 and yesterday I was so fortunate to watch her performance at the Frankfort-Elberta Fourth of July Festival. Carla's great nephew, Nik, recently became the first person to cross the Niagra Falls on a high wire. The pole that she climbs is a 110-foot sway pole. What I found extraordinary, aside from her doing a head stand on top of the pole, was what took place when she was done and sat down next to her ice cream stand to meet people and sign autographs. It was amazing to see many kids so impressed by what she did. There were a number of kids with skateboards and hats backwards shaking her hand and saying how "awesome" it was and I remember one saying, "There's no way I'd do that."